The Importance of Maintaining a Good Posture

“Stand up straight” is one of the most common phrases you may have heard growing up, especially during gym class. Before you started spending time in front of the TV as a child, you had perfect posture. Posture is the body's natural position that helps it support itself when you sit or walk. Poor posture develops when we engage in habits that may cause us to shift from our natural stance.

Poor posture is not good for your muscles, back, and shoulders. It shifts the balance of your body's weight and strains the muscles responsible for holding you up. Moreover, it also affects other muscles that should not be engaged when walking or sitting. Poor posture can cause the affected muscles to become inflamed as the body tries to heal the strain.

What Is Posture?

The key to good posture is to maintain the spine's natural curvature. From the back, the spine should be straight, but from the side, it has three natural curves. The first is at the neck or cervical spine, the second is in the middle of the back, and the last is in the lower back. Good posture maintains these curves instead of exaggerating or eliminating them. There are two types or forms of posture:

Dynamic Posture

Dynamic posture is how your body holds itself up when in movement or doing an activity like walking or running or when you bend over to lift something.

Static Posture

Static posture is how your body holds itself up when not engaging in full-body movement. It happens when you stand still, lie down, or sit on a chair.

How Does Posture Affect Your Health?

When you slouch or hump over in bad posture, you may cause the following changes in your body.

Misaligned musculoskeletal structure
Affect your breathing
Develop back, neck, and shoulder pain
Impact your digestive system
Affect the function and movement of your joints
Cause wear on your spinal column, exposing it to injury
Negatively impact your balance, causing more instances of falling
Reduce your flexibility

What Is the Importance of Good Posture?

Good posture ensures your entire body weight is directed through your spine and legs to your feet. This centering of body weight on your feet is essential for balance.

Prevent and Reduce Lower Back Pain

Poor posture leads to strain in the back, leading to lower back pain. It may be challenging to sit with proper posture, especially when working. To address this, experts recommend standing up and moving around every 30 minutes.

Decrease Muscle Tension

Poor posture can strain the cervical spine or the neck, leading to tension headaches. You can reduce this by stretching your neck often, improving flexibility and strength.